


The Gunslingers ¤  ¤  ¤  a Bullet Club fanfiction

by BrezhonegSelkea



Category: Professional Wrestling, WhatCulture RPF, 新日本プロレス | New Japan Pro-Wrestling
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-14
Updated: 2018-01-30
Packaged: 2019-02-14 16:31:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13011729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrezhonegSelkea/pseuds/BrezhonegSelkea
Summary: "New Japan. Your Prince has returned."Prince Devitt, Karl Anderson, and Doc Gallows are back to New Japan Pro Wrestling with a mission. Their goal: reclaim their rightful place within the stable Devitt founded - the most popular stable in the world, the Bullet Club.But nothing ever comes easy. Kenny Omega is not giving up the throne that easily, and they are soon met with resistance. The Club is soon divided, as its founders wage war with the new generation. To even the odds, both parties agree to take the fight to a neutral ground.WhatCulture Pro Wrestling has no idea what they are in for.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I obviously do not own WhatCulture Wrestling, WCPW or any of the wrestling personas or promotions presented here. The only bits I do lay claim to are Erin “Orchid” Blampied and Kanko “Kan Watanabe” Ross, my original characters, as well as the storyline unfolding here.  
> I do not, in any way, shape or form, condone any of the past actions Adam Blampied confessed to on October 29, 2017 – nor am I overlooking them, and I am still incredibly gutted that I have to write this. I had the idea for this story in June 2017, long before he and the Cultaholic staff left WhatCulture, and was still unaware of said actions. After a long debate with myself, I decided to leave them out, and to set this story in an “alternate timeline” of sorts where Adam is still the bloke we all loved and thought we knew. This is a Bullet Club story involving WCPW, not the other way around, and I don’t want to cause any more drama or controversy, hence my choice.
> 
> I hope you understand my decision, and still are willing to give this story a chance.

_[Orlando, Florida, United States]_

                As they closed the door behind them for the last time, they were smiling.

Saying goodbye in the very town where Fergal’s WWE run had started felt special, like it all came full circle – for the three of them, actually, even Drew and Chad. The three of them were inseparable before the Irishman got the call, and leaving WWE together just made sense for that reason. Of course, they all felt a pang to the heart as they said their goodbyes. The choice they had made meant leaving close friends behind – and family too, in Chad’s case – and saying goodbye after years spent together is particularly heart-wrenching. Especially for Fergal, who had to part way with the gentle soul that is Rami Sebei, aka Sami Zayn – Drew genuinely thought he’d have to pull Fergal away from the ginger Syrian Canadian so they could leave at last.

                Nevertheless, as they closed the door behind them that night, they were smiling.

They were smiling because they were going back to Japan. Back to where their friendship had started in the first place. Back to the country that had taught them so much and made their respective careers take off. This move had been months in the making, and the three of them had stopped counting the hours spent on planning it – on putting together bits and pieces to plan what was next – but deep down, they knew that all the sacrifices would be worth it once they would set foot in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Never in life had this country born its nickname so accurately. They had no doubt that once their plan would start unfolding, the Sun would truly rise again on their career.

“What’s our next move, good brother?”  
“Get there and shake things up. Because that’s what we do. And we, brothers, are going to take back what’s ours.”

 

**¤**  
**¤  ¤  ¤**  
**¤**

_[Katsushika, Japan]_

Before making any decision, they had reached out to him.

Fergal Devitt had had the decency to submit him his idea before setting his plan in motion, and to say Tyson Smith had been taken aback would be an understatement. There were still some founding members left in the current version of the Bullet Club, but as the current leader, Kenny Omega had been contacted first. A thoughtfulness which surprised the Cleaner a little. Given Devitt’s previous experience within NJPW, he could have simply submitted his idea to the Creative team, so they could basically impose it on the Club. But he hadn’t proceeded that way, and had asked the current leader for the green light first. A rare and most welcome show of respect.

Checking his watch, Tyson quickly did the math, and deduced that he could get every member on a conference call within the hour. A few messages later, they were all online.

“Alright, Tama, what have you done this time?” the Younger Buck joked.  
“Wait, what? It’s not on me this time!” the Tongan retorted.  
“That’s right, he’s got nothing to do with that,” Tyson chuckled. “I didn’t gather you all to discuss our current kayfabe tensions.”  
“OK, then what’s going on?” Nick asked again.  
“I received an email this morning – a very unexpected one, might I add. It was from Fergal Devitt.”

Smiles lit up the faces of the Massie brothers as the Cleaner mentioned their former leader. With all due respect to their current boss, Fergal still held a special spot in their hearts.

“As you may know,” Tyson added, “Devitt, Gallows and Anderson have parted ways with WWE…”  
“…and they’re coming back to Japan. That’s what you meant to tell us,” Fale intervened.  
“Yes, and no. They are indeed coming back, but there’s more – and that “more” is actually why we’re here.”

The current Bullet Club leader paused, making sure he had his stablemates’ full attention before he explained.

“Devitt actually had a storyline idea he wanted my agreement – our agreement – on. He suggested a sort of inner stable war. A Bullet Club vs. Bullet Club, if you will.”  
“You mean the original Club on one side, and us, the current club, on the other?” Matt clarified, excitement evident in his voice.  
“Exactly. And I don’t know about you, but that sounds like an amazing idea to me,” the leader smiled.  
“A good old team feud, I like that!” Cody said enthusiastically. “Maybe he should get Austin to even the numbers a bit.”  
“That’s the stuff of dreams!” Nick chimed in.  
“So, are we all in?”

The answer was unanimous, much to the Cleaner’s relief. He was a bit worried that the rest of the Club wouldn’t show as much enthusiasm as he did, but everyone, from Fale to Marty Scurll, was even more hyped than he was.

“Alright. Let’s do this!”

 

**¤**  
**¤  ¤  ¤**  
**¤**

 

_Bullet Club vs. Bullet Club it is, then. Everyone else is on board, I think the guys are even more excited about this than I am!_   
_We’ll set up a Creative meeting to discuss the details as soon as you get to Japan. I’m looking forward to working with you all again!_   
_Too sweet,_   
_K. Omega_


	2. Chapter 1

_[Tokyo, Japan]_

Chad gently nudged Fergal’s side as the plane started its descent. The flight at seemed longer than the last time he had flown to Japan, but he supposed it was just the excitement talking. Chad had enjoyed his WWE run a lot, and even more so that he’d got to share it with two of his best friends. But Japan was different – Japan was where he had spent some of the best, happiest moments of his career so far, and he was glad to come back. Even though it meant being so far away from his wife and children. That was a sacrifice he was willing to make, one that she had accepted as she understood what the Land of the Rising Sun meant to him, one their sons were old enough to fully comprehend. The sound of the ruffling cover interrupted his train of thoughts. Fergal was stirring, slowly waking up from his slumber.

“Hey bubba!” Chad greeted.  
“Hey babe,” the Irishman replied, his voice still thick with sleep, strengthening his accent.  
“We’re almost there.”  
“Are we? Already?”  
“Easy for you to say, you slept through most of it!”

A sad coin smile found its way to Fergal’s lips. In all the years he had known Karl Anderson, the latter had never slept well on planes – he’d usually wake up every few hours. But by the looks of it, he hardly slept at all this time, maybe 3 to 4 hours in total. Something kept the Machine Gun awake, although he couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was.

“Are you nervous?” Fergal teased.  
“What? No!”  
“Come on, you aren’t fooling me, Allegra! We’re all a tad nervous to be back, and it’s fine!”  
“Yeah – I just hope that the rest of the Club is as enthusiastic about the whole deal as Omega told you. This is a brilliant idea, man, and I’d hate to see it fail.”  
“Why, thank you, babe! But you shouldn’t worry too much. We’ve worked with Omega before, and you know Tama, Fale and the Young Bucks as well as I do – hell, probably better!”  
“But what about the others? Cody, Scurll, Page?” Chad clarified.  
“You know what Matt & Nick are like, when they’re enthusiastic about something, they’re bringing everyone with them! Besides, if the guys who were part of _our_ Bullet Club are able to work with them, it shouldn’t be a problem for us, should it?”

Chad nodded at the words of his best friend, both acknowledging his point of view and agreeing with it.

“Yeah, you’re right, man.”

Fergal smiled for good, and gave him the _Too Sweet_ as the plane landed.

When the three men reached the hall of the Tokyo-Narita airport, they were greeted with the sight of four familiar faces: Tama Tonga and Bad Luck Fale were standing there with the Jackson brothers, who were wearing a big smile on their faces. When Nick saw the three founding members, he cracked a laugh so infectious that Devitt, Gallows and Anderson instantly laughed with him.

“Hey, kiddo!” Drew greeted him.  
“Hey, old man!” the younger Buck shot back jokingly.

Hugs and jokes were exchanged back and forth as they all reunited and caught up. The former stablemates hadn’t had the occasion to meet again in years, and even though they had kept in touch, nothing compared to meeting face to face. And as soon as they were in the presence of one another, it was as if nothing had changed. As if Fergal, Chad and Drew had never left. Things fell back into place so naturally, just like puzzle pieces, and that made it feel even more like a homecoming. Calling Japan their home had never felt so right.

**¤**   
**¤  ¤  ¤**   
**¤**

“So, how exactly had you pictured it?” Kenny Omega asked.

The whole Bullet Club was gathered for their first official Creative meeting. As soon as Fergal, Drew and Chad had signed their contracts, the NJPW management had given them not only the green light, but also the creative freedom. All they needed to clarify now, was the development of the feud.

“The original idea was, like I wrote you, to pitch me, Gallows & Anderson – and maybe a few others – against the current Bullet Club, as I would try to take back the leadership of the Club,” Fergal said. “Along the way, we’d have few matches, maybe a six-men tag team match, and we could close up with a leader vs. leader match-up – Prince Devitt vs. Kenny Omega.”

A few nods were seen around the table, and Fale’s lips even stretched into a smile – that was a plan the Underboss most definitely liked.

“You’re going to need a few more people on your side, though. Any ideas so far?”  
“We’re still thinking about it,” the Irishman replied.  
“AJ is working his final WWE matches as we speak, he asked for his release shortly after we left. If that’s granted to him, we could add him,” Chad suggested.  
“How about Adam Cole, have you considered him?” Cody asked. “That man is incredibly talented, that’s a wonder he didn’t stay long in WWE. He would be a great asset to your team.”  
“And that makes sense in terms of storyline, too,” Nick added, “we kicked him out when Marty joined, he has a grudge against us, just like AJ.”

Devitt nodded, mentally taking note to contact him.

“Tama, what do you say to switching sides?” Kenny offered. “You and I have had some kayfabe tensions for a while now, it would seem logical to see you side with your former leader.”  
“That sounds awesome to me!” Tama answered enthusiastically. “But I’d rather not break up the Guerrillas of Destiny.”  
“Fergal’s side is going to need all the help they can get,” his brother said, “if that means we have to change sides, then let’s do it! Unless you guys don’t want us on your side.”  
“Of course we do!” Drew exclaimed with a smile on his lips, which Chad and Fergal mirrored immediately.  
“Are we keeping this in New Japan, or do you guys intend on bringing this to ROH too?”

Nick Jackson’s question was met with silence. It was obvious the Younger Buck couldn’t wait to get this storyline started and to bring it around the globe, and to different promotions too. This issue, however, was one the three returning members of the Bullet Club hadn’t given much thought to. In recent years, the Bucks, Adam Cole, Adam Page, Marty Scurll and Cody had proudly worn the colours of the Bullet Club in Ring of Honor, and even smaller independent promotions – but when Fergal created the stable, he never thought it would ever go beyond Japan.

“I haven’t thought about it at all, if I’m honest.”  
“Frankly, I don’t know either, man,” Kenny confessed. “I know it used to be exclusive to New Japan, and it would make sense to keep the feud here, but bringing it to ROH could make it even more interesting.”  
“But it gives you a home field advantage of sorts,” Anderson noted, “while we’re still pretty even here in Japan.”  
“Not so much, good brother, we’re just returning.”  
“So what? We aren’t making our debut, and we have GOD with us!”  
“How about,” Matt Jackson chimed in, “we fight on neutral territory? We keep the ground even by splitting the feud between New Japan and another independent promotion – bringing views to both parties, management can’t refuse that to us!”

Every wrestler involved had their brows furrowed, except for Cody who seemed to love the idea. Matt was right – after all that the Bullet Club had done for NJPW, there shouldn’t be any issues. Fergal couldn’t help thinking that it would never even had been an option back in WWE – another good point about no longer being there. Besides, choosing another promotion would also allow for a bigger diversity.

Meanwhile, something clicked in the head of Marty Scurll. The Villain hadn’t talked very much so far, but as he heard the Older Buck’s suggestion, his creative mind immediately sprang into action, and one particular name came into his mind. A promotion he had been working with before he joined the Club, and since he joined. Somewhere he knew the storyline would be treated with the utmost respect, and where its full potential could be used. The Cambridgeshire-native felt his lips curl up into a smile, and he spoke up.

“Lads, I think I’ve got just the promotion we need.”


	3. Chapter 2

_[Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England]_

Adam Blampied could not believe his eyes.

Ever since he had started working for WhatCulture, he had done things his wrestling-loving teenage self would never have dreamed of. Talking about professional wrestling for a living was already a blessing, but never would he ever have imagined he’d be in charge of wrestling shows. And yet, he was now the General Manager of a growing independent promotion, and as such, he had already worked with some of the biggest names on the scene – Cody Rhodes, Jay Lethal, Drew Galloway, Ricochet, Pete Dunne, Will Ospreay, and even legends like Eric Bischoff or Jim Ross. Even Bret Hart had made an appearance!

And yet, he was still dumbfounded by the email he had just received. Because it was a dream come true, Adam couldn’t really get used to it and his eyes still lit up every time he was responsible of a dream match-up or an important storyline.

And that was huge.

His eyes finally left the computer screen, and looked around the room in search for a particular desk.

“Hey Adam, do you have a second?”

Adam Pacitti frown behind his glasses and joined his colleague at his desk, wondering what it could be about. The dark-haired Adam wasn’t usually asking for advice, and the usual mischievous smirk on his face was missing this time – which surprised Pacitti.

“What is it, Plumpy?”  
“I’ve just received this, take a look,” Blampied said, pointing to the still open email.

As the taller Adam read through, his eyes were going wider and wider. Just like Plumpy, he’d probably never get used to that kind of post – and he was the one who had come up with WCPW in the first place. He had helped setting up the foundation, planting the seeds, and like a rosebud opening, his dream had grown and flourished to become bigger and even more beautiful than Pacitti would have ever dreamed, and it kept surprising him – and everyone else involved – day in day out.

It wasn’t the first time that WhatCulture was dealing with big promotions. In fact, ROH & NJPW had become regular partners, but WCPW was usually the one who reached out. This time, the Japanese had made the first step, and the offer in this email was one the two Adams could not refuse.

“That’s massive,” Adam Pacitti whispered. “Why wouldn’t they keep that on their own card?”  
“They plan on splitting it between Japan and here, but that’s still a mystery to me too. But imagine it, Bullet Club vs. Bullet Club! Imagine what this could mean for WCPW!”  
“God, man, I know! But if we are to accept, we cannot fuck it up.”  
“No, absolutely not, I know! Although I suppose the wrestler involved must have a plan. I doubt NJPW management came up with the whole _neutral territory_ shtick.”

Pacitti nodded, his mind already racing as he read through the email one more time. Some storyline details were included, causing ideas to flood his fertile mind.

“Whoever came up with this, I’m glad they reached out,” he finally spoke up. “Adam, we must do it. We have to take it!”  
“So the former WCPW General Manager approves of this?” Blampied joked.  
“Absolutely!” he smiled. “You can handle it better than I’d have. You got this, mate!”

The older Adam smiled, then chuckled a little.

“What?”  
“Nothing, just thinking what Erin would say.”  
“She’s going to freak out, man!” Pacitti exclaimed. “Remember when you told her about Broken Matt Hardy?”  
“I’m not talking about the storyline, dumbass!”  
“Uh? Then what… oh.”

The blonde Adam felt himself blush as he realised what that was about. Whenever Erin Blampied was around, be it backstage at a WCPW show she’d wrestle or just visiting at the office, she couldn’t help but tease the two Adams when they got “a wee bit too friendly”, her own words. She always said she found it cute. Plumpy usually laughed about it. He, on the other hand, tried to play it cool, shrugging as if it didn’t affect him whatsoever – but God knows it did, and he did his best not to let it show.

To the former WCPW General Manager, the older Adam was like a ray of light on a pitch-black road – a constant motivation, a reminder that things do get better when all hope seems lost. Whenever doubt took over, Blampied would come around and be the oxygen to the dying fire in his heart, setting it alight again and burning brighter than ever.

Adam Blampied was the yin to Adam Pacitti’s yang, the comedian to cheer up his serious self. The Seth Rollins to his Dean Ambrose. The Garrus Vakarian to his Commander Shepard. There was no Pacitti without Plumpy.

What the younger Adam didn’t know, however, was that Erin’s brother laughed about it in order not to cry about it. Adam Blampied lived for those little moments when he and Pacitti were “a bit too friendly”. He would never admit it openly, not even to his own little sister, but he could definitely get used to moments like these – and he’d much rather not have to hide how it made him feel.

A few desks away, Sam Driver, Jack King and Ross Tweddell were watching their two colleagues with an amused look on their faces.

“They’ll never admit it, will they?” Jack asked.  
“No, not a single chance,” Sam said, shaking his head. “Maybe on their deathbed, though.”  
“Nah, not even then!” Ross countered. “They don’t have the balls to say it to each other’s face.”

Jack chuckled at that – he didn’t need much to be amused, after all.

“Sam!” Adam Blampied suddenly called.  
“Yes?”  
“Can you go fetch Adam Clery for me? I need to see the whole WCPW Creative and talent management team now.”  
“Wow, sounds important.”  
“You have no idea, mate.”

Sam was gone right away, but that last comment left Jack and Ross wondering.

“What’s that about, Plumpy?” the King of WTF Moments asked in his thick Geordie accent.  
“I may have been offered to supervise one of the most exciting feuds in the history of wrestling.”

The look on his two colleagues’ faces confirmed what the WCPW General Manager already thought – no one had seen it coming, and no one was ready for the mastodon that was about to hit his promotion. That perspective brought a smile to his face, which Adam Pacitti mirrored immediately. He knew what was going through the mind of his best frenemy, and he agreed.

The next few months were going to be killer.


	4. Chapter 3

_[Osaka, Japan]_

Drew Hankinson smiled as he scrolled through the various online wrestling sources. NJPW had been careful not to let the news of their latest acquisition leak, and it was working so far. Every English-speaking source was wondering what was next for one of the most successful current tag teams and one of the most beloved wrestlers on the scene. From what he could read, many were expecting them Gallows, Anderson, and Bálor start a “new” Bullet Club elsewhere – some bets were placed on Ring of Honor, others on Impact Wrestling. That title made Gallows laugh out loud, causing every single member of the Club to look at him.

“What’s so funny, brother?” his tag team partner asked.  
“I was just looking at the online news sources. No one has any idea where we are now, that’s almost ridiculous.”  
“The Japanese sources are as clueless as the rest,” Tyson chimed in. “That’s even better, everyone is in for a surprise.”  
“They’re in for a shock, indeed.”

Sitting in a corner of the room, Fergal silently nodded at the conversation. For the time being, he was too busy looking around the room thinking about how big the Bullet Club had become, going from a four- _gaijin_ group to one of the biggest factions in wrestling – in numbers, talent, and popularity. The Irishman couldn’t help smiling at the perspective. That was something he was definitely proud of. Something to make him feel better when it all seemed so hard and overwhelming – like it had over the last few weeks.

His decision to come back to Japan, although it seemed like a no-brainer, had given him many a sleepless night. He had pondered, weighed the pros and cons, pictured every possible outcome, and wondered if they were worth it. If the risk was worth taking. Now, he watched his original stablemates getting on so well with their successors, talking and laughing like they had known each other their whole lives, and all his concerns just melted away.

Hell yes, it was worth it. All of it, even the nights spent racking his brain with questions that didn’t even need to be asked in the first place.

There was a knock on the door, and Gedo came in, a satisfied look on his face.

“I’ve got good news,” he said. “I just got off the phone with WWE management. They granted AJ Styles his release, and he has agreed to work with us again, and to be a part of the storyline.”

Every single face lit up at the words of the NJPW booker. With AJ in the equation, things had just got a bit more interesting.

“That’s great news! Anderson exclaimed.  
“We also contacted Adam Cole, but so far, he still hasn’t answered.”

Kenny and the Bucks couldn’t help but snicker – he could be so forgetful at times! The Bullet Club leader often wondered whether he had always been that way, or if it was just bits of his character slipping through the veil of kayfabe.

“Thank you very much, Gedo-san,” Fergal said and bowed respectfully.   
“Oh, and your match is up next, Kenny and the Jacksons.”

Omega nodded and bowed too as Gedo exited the room. The leader then turned to Devitt, Gallows, and Anderson, smiled and raised his hand into a Too Sweet, soon joined by Matt, Nick, and the three original members.

“See you out there,” Kenny said before making his way out.

¤  
¤  ¤  ¤  
¤

Matt and Nick’s signature stereo Superkick sent EVIL crashing onto the mat, and Omega instantly went for the cover – 1. 2. 3. The three members of The Elite rose to their feet victorious, the Cleaner’s lips twisting in the wicked grin he usually wore after a win. But as the three men went to exit the ring, the lights suddenly went out, leaving the whole sub arena of the Osaka Municipal Central Gymnasium in the dark – literally and figuratively, as the audience wondered what was going on. Gasps of surprise and whispers were heard, while both the Japanese and English commentary teal wondered out loud. In the ring, Kenny Omega was focused on keeping his game face on, but the Jacksons were silently thanking God no one could see the small smiles on their faces and the excitement in their eyes. It was show time, at last, now was the moment they had been waiting for so long.

A small halo of light came back as the titantron went on, showing two faces the NJPW faithful were all-too familiar with. The people in attendance erupted into a massive pop at the sight of Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson standing side by side with their arms crossed on their chests, and English commentator Kevin Kelly cried out in disbelief. “Gallows & Anderson are back!” But just as the turmoil seemed to die down, the Good Brothers took a step to the side to let a smaller figure through.

“New Japan. Your Prince has returned.”

As the beloved Prince Devitt finally stepped out of the shadows, the Osaka crowd simply lost it – a reaction made all the crazier by the secrecy surrounding the comeback of the original Bullet Club members.

Wrestling is made of unexpected – be it returns, victories, title changes, reunions… Surprises are what keeps it interesting, and fans live for such moments but caught in questionable booking and creative decisions, the three of them had somehow forgotten that. The reaction of the Japanese fans, however, was a very agreeable and much needed wake-up call.

“Well, well, well, look at who we’ve got here,” the Irishman spoke up, “everyone’s favourite bunch of opportunists! What’s wrong, boys? You look like you’ve just seen a ghost!”

The low light from the screen was enough for everyone’s to see the shock on the faces of Kenny, Matt, and Nick.

“What are you doing here?” Matt yelled, but that fell on deaf ears.  
“You know, Omega,” Devitt went on, “I could tell you I remember a time where I was in your shoes – a _gaijin_ showing everybody how it’s done, and suddenly leading the elite of professional wrestling. But the fact of the matter is, I never was like you. You know, when the Bullet Club was founded, I was chosen by my peers, my brothers Karl Anderson, Tama Tonga, and Bad Luck Fale, to lead them. I never had to stab anyone in the back, let alone stab a friend in the back to get there.”  
“That’s true. But the thing is, you walked out,” Kenny countered. “You walked out, while I stayed and watched leaders come and go – including your little boyfriend the Machine Gun here – until I decided to take matters into my own hand. I am the leader this stable needed. I am Bullet Club now.”

An enigmatic coin smirk appeared on Devitt’s face, and a dark laugh passed lips making him sound just like Omega when he turned on AJ Styles a few years back.

“No, you aren’t. Wherever I went – wherever we went,” he said, gesturing between himself, Gallows and Anderson, “we brought the Bullet Club with us. It’s been a part of us for much longer than you could say for yourself. It’s my creation, it courses through my being, and I’m going to take back what has always been mine. Because I can assure you, I’m not going to sit back and watch you destroy my work.”  
“So, you think I’m going to simply let you through? You think I’m going to clear the way for you? You’re completely delusional, Devitt,” the Cleaner scoffed. “You seem to forget who I am. Who we are. We are the Elite. We can’t be taken out that easily – we won’t.”  
“That remains to be seen.”

With that, they disappeared from the screen. When the lights came back in the arena, Devitt, Anderson, and Gallows were standing on the ring apron, and the original leader stared a hole through the current leader’s skull. Suddenly, the Good Brothers pulled the Jacksons out of the ring, while the Prince hopped in and hit the Cleaner with a Sling Blade. The Canadian fell face first onto the canvas and got back up only to be greeted with a double foot stomp. Meanwhile, Gallows and Anderson had applied the Magic Killer to the younger Buck and put Matt down with a Superkick of their own. They climbed back into the ring to stand beside Prince Devitt, who was standing tall over a beaten-up Kenny Omega. The Irishman raised his right hand in a Too Sweet, which his brothers in arms reciprocated with proud smiles on their faces.

“Consider this your first warning,” Gallows said before the trio rolled out of the squared circle.


	5. Chapter 4

_[Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England]_

A sigh of contentment escaped Erin’s lips as she finally passed the door. It had rarely felt that good to be home. Wrestling on the independent scene often meant driving across the country to work a show, and while it was all worth it, it was also exhausting as hell and made her enjoy her time at home even more – be it the flat she shared with her brother in Newcastle, or their parents’ home in Jersey. Tonight was a prime example of that: after a big ICW show last weekend and a hard day of training, the ride home from Glasgow had felt like it would never end. She leant against the front door, her body suddenly drained of its energy.

“I’m home, Adam!” she called out.  
“Hello there!”

Her brother emerged from the kitchen and briefly hugged her.

“Perfect timing, dinner is about ready. I thought you’d be hungry.”  
“I’m not, I’m fucking starving! You rule.”  
“I know,” he said, a smug grin on his face. “How was Glasgow?”  
“Great,” she said and followed him into the kitchen. “Still feels like home for some reason. Brilliant crowd, as always, I had a blast working with Kaileigh, as always. But the best part of it…”

She opened her gym bag, pulled out a title belt and hoisted it up in Adam’s face. It was the ICW Women’s Championship belt.

“And new!” she exclaimed.  
“Hurray! The Champ is here,” Adam joked in his best John Cena impression.

He gave his little sister a high-five, his eyes shining with pride. The young Champion couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight.

“You should have seen Jimmy’s face when I got backstage after the match. The same shiny eyes you have now.”  
“You’re telling me that you nearly made Jimmy fucking Havoc cry? Bollocks!”

Erin laughed and put the title belt back into her bag before she fixed herself a cup of hot tea.

“He got back at me for that, though – he was merciless in training today. Said I shouldn’t rest on my laurels.”

Adam was the one to laugh that time. That wasn’t exactly a surprise. The hardcore specialist had been training Erin for long enough to know it wasn’t like her, but just like Adam, Jimmy would never shy away from an opportunity to tease her.

“Speaking about Jimmy,” Erin said, “well, first, he says hi. And second, we were both wondering one thing.”  
“And what may that be?”  
“How come you still haven’t addressed the Bullet Club situation? I mean, no news video, no “What Just Happened?” – it’s just weird that WhatCulture is the only source that hasn’t talked about it yet.”

Plumpy sighed. There it was. He had expected his sister to ask at some point. She knew him all too well, she knew the other guys behind WhatCulture Wrestling, and she knew how they worked. Of course, she would notice! The fact that Jimmy Havoc even cared, however, was something he hadn’t expected. Adam set two plates of lasagne on the table and took the seat facing his sister’s.

“You’re going to either love it or hate me.”  
“Come on, your lasagne isn’t that bad,” Erin joked.  
“I mean, what I’m about to tell you.”

The youngest sibling nodded, digging in her food as he went on.

“We didn’t talk about it because we’re involved.”

Erin’s eyes went wide all of a sudden.

“I’m sorry, what was that?”  
“You heard me, Erin. WCPW is involved in the Bullet Club storyline.”

It took her a moment to process that. Her brother’s promotion, which she had played quite a part in setting up and which she was getting more and more involved in, was now hosting the biggest feud in the wrestling world. How in hell did that happen without her knowing? Either Adams would usually tell her about the big news straight away.

“I want to know everything – how it happened, and why the fuck you didn’t tell me earlier!”

******¤**  
¤  ¤  ¤  
¤ 

_[Hiroshima, Japan]_

_“What do you mean, they aren’t fit to compete?”  
“I’m sorry, Devitt-san, but it’s not safe to let them face the Young Bucks tonight.”_

The blood boiled inside Prince Devitt’s veins as he recalled the conversation. Of course, he had to be doomed on the first night. Of course, his Good Brothers had to be jumped and beaten black and blue before the match, leaving him the only member cleared to wrestle that night. His hand balled into a fist, and frustration sent it crashing down onto a nearby table. The Irishman closed his eyes for a brief moment, taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm down. Losing it now was not going to help him at all – in fact, that was probably just what Omega wanted. He breathed deeply, trying to disperse the fog of anger that clouded his judgement, and started to think. What now? Should he go around the locker room asking for help? And whom should he ask? Who would help him? Another faction – which one? They all held some sort of grudges against the Bullet Club, although one did cross his mind for a moment. Suzuki-gun still included his training partner Zack Sabre Jr., maybe the Kent native would be willing to help a friend – but would his stable let him?

As he began seriously considering reaching out to Zack, a knock on the door interrupted his reasoning, and in came Gedo.

“Excuse me, Devitt-san, someone’s here to see you.”

The Irish Captor frowned in confusion, and for a split second, he allowed himself to hope that behind the door stood one of his former brothers who’d have turned his back on the Cleaner – Fale, maybe, for old time’s sake? He shook his head. He couldn’t be.

“Thank you, Gedo-san. Please, let them in.”

Gedo stepped out, letting two figures enter the locker room.

“Long time no see, Devitt!” one of them spoke up.

The Prince smiled as he identified the voice and the drawl – southern USA, no doubt. He turned to meet two familiar faces, both wearing similar smug coin smirks.

“You have no idea how glad I am to see you two.”

******¤**  
¤  ¤  ¤  
¤ 

“It looks to me like you’ve only got two options left, Devitt!”

The Young Bucks were standing in the ring, looking quite content with themselves. They had expected more resistance from Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson, and they would never have expected that two veterans like them would let their guard down so easily – thus making it easy on the Jackson brothers, who incapacitated their former stablemates before they knew what was going on. Now, Nick was calling out Prince Devitt, daring him to step up to the challenge.

“You can either let your emotions get the better of you and face us on your own,” the younger Buck went on, “or, you can be wise about it.”  
“Meaning, accept your defeat and forfeit the match.” Matt clarified. “This is our territory – Elite territory. You and your friends don’t just come and defy us on our territory like a bunch of – wait, what was it your friend the Doc liked to say?”

The Bucks exchanged a glance and a chuckle, and the eldest nodded.

“Nerds!” he concluded in his best impression of Gallows.

They started to laugh before the old Bullet Club theme began to play and Devitt came out. He had a mic in his hand and a confident look on his face that almost took the brothers aback. He thought he could it – fine. They were going to give him a beating he wouldn’t forget anytime soon.

“You know what, Bucks, you’re right. I’ve got two options, but not the ones you thought of. I could indeed just accept the one-on-two challenge…”

He took a dramatic pause, giving the crowd time to react.

“…or I could tell you – just like I am right now – that I found substitutes for my Good Brothers.”

His announcement was met with gasps from the audience and a frown in disbelief from the Young Bucks. A short-notice replacement meant someone from the roster and probably members of a faction.

“Oh, wow, such a resourceful man,” Nick said, his voice laced with irony. “Who agreed to help? Chaos? LIJ?”  
“Neither. Actually, you know them very, very well.”

Two silhouettes emerged from behind Prince Devitt. As they reached the inaugural leader of the Bullet Club, the lights revealed the faces of AJ Styles, the man Kenny Omega stabbed in the back, and Adam Cole, the man the Young Bucks superkicked out of the Club. The grins on the lips of Devitt’s new allies said it all – they were all about payback and unfinished business. They slid into the ring and started pounding at the brothers. Red Shoes managed to separate them and signalled for the bell to be rung. Adam and Matt locked up and started exchanging blow for blow and dodge for dodge as they managed to predict each other’s moves. The effects of spending so much time fighting alongside each other were showing, the two knowing exactly what the other had in mind, and reacting in time. The older Jackson seemed a bit unsettled, and Adam was quite proud of that. Meanwhile, on the apron, AJ was growing impatient. He hadn’t come here to play games, but that was exactly what his partner seemed to be doing.

“Dammit, Cole!” he shouted. “Do something!”

Meanwhile, at ringside, Prince Devitt was clenching his jaw, resisting the urge to jump on the apron and tell them both to get a grip. He thought about doing it for a split second, but before he could act, Nick Jackson had backed Cole into the Old Club’s corner, and AJ slapped Adam’s shoulder to tag himself in.

“What do you think you’re doing?”  
“Actually doing something. I’m not standing there while you play games,” the Georgia native spat and launched himself at the younger Buck.

The Irishman sighed. He should have known – two such egos couldn’t coexist, he should never have trusted these two together. What good is a common goal when you aren’t even on the same page to begin with?  ** **He****  should have teamed up with one of them instead.

And to add insult to injury, Matt Jackson was tagged back in, the two brothers hit Styles with a Meltzer Driver, and Matt pinned him for the count of three. As soon as the raven-haired Jackson got back to his feet, his younger brother hopped into the ring and hugged him. Devitt pulled himself onto the apron, shooting Cole and Styles a disappointed look that said: “We’re going to have a little conversation later on”. Four more figures made their way down to the ring – Kenny Omega, Chase Owens, Tanga Loa, and his brother Tama Tonga, who was once Devitt’s brother in arms. The Prince shook his head as the Tongan Bad Boy stepped into the ring to congratulate the Jacksons, high fiving Nick and hugging Matt tight.

As he did, he met the Irishman’s gaze over the older Buck’s shoulder, and the Tongan’s lips stretched into a wicked grin as he winked at his former leader. Devitt frowned in confusion. He knew that smile all too well and had not forgotten what it meant after all these years.

What the hell was going through Tama’s mind?

Suddenly, Matt Jackson’s back hit the canvas harshly as Tama hit him with a powerslam. Nick rushed to his brother’s help but was stopped when AJ Styles pulled his leg, causing him to fall face first into the mat, and the Phenomenal One hit him with a flurry of punches. On Omega’s side, every face was painted with looks of shock and anger, except Tanga Loa’s. In the opposite corner, however, the expressions were more diverse – Adam Cole couldn’t believe his eyes, and Prince Devitt was somehow relieved to see his old friend stand up for him against his own camp. It was no secret that Tama Tonga and Kenny Omega didn’t always see eye to eye but never would anyone, let alone Devitt himself, have thought it would come to this – especially when Tama’s own brother still stood in Omega’s corner.

Kenny gestured for someone to bring him a microphone, while Tama and AJ stood tall over the Young Bucks.

“What the hell are you doing, Tama?” Omega yelled.  
“Is this… hurt I sense in your voice?” Tama teased.

Adam and Devitt snickered while the Cleaner’s eyes grew dark with anger.

“Let’s face it Omega, you and I never agreed on what makes the Bullet Club what it is. Besides, I never chose to stand behind you, you were imposed on me,” he spat and turned to the Irish Captor. “And now, this man, the man I chose as my leader and my brother, now that he’s back, you expect me to choose you over him? You expect me to stand  _against_  him?”

The Tongan shook his head, turned to the original Bullet Club leader, and gave him the Too Sweet.

“What about your brothers, uh? What about Leo and Tanga? Does family mean nothing to you?”  
“Don’t you dare!” the Bad Boy growled. “Family is everything to me. But this is a choice I can’t make for them. Whoever they want to stand behind, is up to them, not to me. I chose my side, they’ll choose theirs.”

He turned to Tanga, who still stood on the apron between Omega and Chase Owens, and gave him a nearly apologetic look, but the younger half of the Guerrillas of Destiny simply nodded.

Next thing everybody knew, he had headbutted Chase off the apron and hopped into the ring to join his now laughing brother and take the mic.

“Kenny,” Tanga said, “I guess the Guerrillas of Destiny must bid you adieu.”

With that, the two hugged AJ, Adam and Devitt before heading backstage, leaving two battered Bucks lying on the canvas, a groggy Chase Owens and an outraged Kenny Omega at ringside. The Cleaner could feel the blood boiling in his veins, and rage weighing on his chest.

Devitt wanted a battle? Fine – he was going to make him regret the day he decided to mess with the Elite. He was going to give him a war.    


End file.
